Saturday, 4 June 2016

With this mornings cool NE breeze the last thing we expected to see were butterflies. The Druridge Pools track was amazing with eight species present.
Painted Lady x 4, Small Copper, Peacock, Large White, Wall, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Small Heath. A further 7 Painted Lady were seen later at East Chevington.

Wednesday, 1 June 2016

After yesterdays feast of Broad billed Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff it seemed only proper to see if I could find the Wansbeck Bonapartes Gull.
This mornings reported sighting was under the A189 bridge so I headed there via Cambois. The were half a dozen Black headed over on the North bank with one possible amongst. So crossed over and despite decent views I could not quite convince myself that I had found it, so returned to the pub for beer and burger.
Then down to Castle Island and a lot of gulls to search.
Then a possible, black bill, and smaller than a BH and similar head marks to recently published. Following a kind confirmation by Andy @leicester_llama , I had myself a Bonapartes Gull.

there were also three Avocets

and three Little Egret, one of which was ringed, but I could not ident rings

About me

The wrong side of pension age, I reawakened my earlier interests in bird and widlife watching, with a holiday on The Isle of Mull during summer 2008. Bought a scope to watch eagles and otters and we were not disappointed. So when we got home I started to cover some local haunts and thought it may be worthwhile to put some time in and around the The City of Newcastle and the River Tyne.I also paint pictures, most having some link to football and a selection can be seen at www.fansoffootball.net